“I am just thrilled to have the opportunity to bring a player of his caliber in to better our current players who want the opportunity that J.R. has had in his NBA playing days,” says Jay Bowdy, Owner/CEO of the Fresh.

“We are making moves necessary to better our franchise. Rider is someone who I feel I can trust to bring in and make a positive impact for these players and the organization with his experience, knowledge and understanding of the professional level of basketball. Hopefully we can come to a mutual agreement on things and add something great to our phenomenal training camp roster that we have already.”

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For some reason the “North Texas Fresh” made me think of an arena like the “Make Em Say Uhhhhhhhhh” video.

CEO Jay Bowdy-Bowdy?

By: @

08.24.2009 @ 2:00 PM

All this does is prove just how big the gap in talent is between the ABA and the NBA.

By: goonther

08.24.2009 @ 2:04 PM

@ nerditry

will it be complete with the 8′ high rim? lol

By: Chicagorilla

08.24.2009 @ 2:09 PM

What kind of professionalism can he bring? Rider can show them how to smuggle burn out phones and pounds of weed into the North Texas arena. Last I read, dude was locked up in the county somewhere near Oakland. Or was he on the run. He was like 40lbs over weight too. He wasn’t that great to begin with.

By: AB_40

08.24.2009 @ 2:22 PM

if the leauge stays afloat? 25 ppg is reasonable. but guys are gonna try to hurt him because he played in the L

By: Simon

08.24.2009 @ 2:27 PM

He’s pullin’ the old Ricky Henderson! Is J.R. Rider really the most significant ex-NBA player they could think of trying to sign? I’m sure there are a bunch of players that still want to play and need some cash. Sign Baby Daddy Kemp and Rodman too!

By: Soopa

08.24.2009 @ 2:38 PM

The shot in that clip is absolutly loco. We used to try and do it all the time back when he did it!

By: Chicagorilla

08.24.2009 @ 3:15 PM

Also for someone who had nasty hops, I never seen him dunk on anyone. I was watching old NBA home video’s from his era and the only dunks of his they showed were him dunking in dunk contest. He may have dunked BY Hakeem one time, but not ON anyone. I would assume he would talk a lot of shit when he did it too, so it wouldn’t be easy to forget.

By: Kobeef

08.24.2009 @ 3:27 PM

What is this, pothead day on Dime?

By: POPPI GEE

08.24.2009 @ 3:32 PM

East Bay Funk Dunk!

By: Kermit the Washington

08.24.2009 @ 4:05 PM

I remember this reg. season game with the Lakers vs the Blazers back in the day…he had just signed with the lakers after being with the Blazers, and him and ‘Sheed and some other cats had this “friendly rivalry” thing going on…they were having a blast, laughing and stuff, but they were all playing MAD HARD. JR Rider got hot, and stuck a few 3s in a row. After the last one, he ran towards the Blazers bench and did the “rip your heart out” gesture, where you grab your chest and pull at your jersey…and got ejected for it. I was like awww c’mon, they’re just messin’ around!

i think his soul floated out of his body and did the eastbay funk dunk….which isiah actually claimed the first time he successful did the dunk he farted…but yeah dudes brief career was a baby foot over harold miner….

By: mike oxlong

08.24.2009 @ 4:19 PM

i think his soul floated out of his body and did the eastbay funk dunk when he signed his name on the line….which isiah actually claimed the first time he successful did the dunk he farted…but yeah dudes brief career was a baby foot over harold miner….

By: Ansonious

08.24.2009 @ 4:23 PM

Wait wait wait I forsee A fab 5 reunion in the aba, but that wouldn’t happen unless they lost there analyst jobs.

By: S-SiN

08.24.2009 @ 4:27 PM

JR looks funny in Lamar’s jersey..

By: BiG ShoT BoB

08.24.2009 @ 6:14 PM

JR Rider…shots out to Rider entertainment. That boy is a real thug from the yay area. Who you know played in the NBA and used the money to continue to support his street business…LOL

By: Alvin

08.24.2009 @ 8:45 PM

i swear when i saw that picture of him i thought it was jarrett jack

By: Buffalo Brave

08.24.2009 @ 9:39 PM

He was an idiot, but a MARVELOUS talent who could do anything on the court.

Stop underrating him.

By: specialguydurr!

08.24.2009 @ 10:57 PM

I thought he was in prison! seriously I know the first place he got popped for puffin’ when he was playing for portland. Me and some friends smoked there once when we were seventeen and we were like “Oh man, this place is a bust!” I couldn’t believe it when he got popped, I couldn’t believe that him and his homies would be stupid enough to smoke there. It was literally about 50 feet off a main road that links portland to Lake Oswego, a rich suburb full of cops with NOTHING to do. So he thought it would be a good idea to pull off the road there in his Mercedes with full-black tints and light up a soda can!!!!! He may be thug but he proved to me that day that he was not smart. Too bad to cause that guy could GO OFF too! total waste

By: Cameron

08.24.2009 @ 11:18 PM

He’s 38! And he wasn’t even that good when he was 30!

By: jamesinva

08.25.2009 @ 12:45 AM

@kermit the washington

I used to live in Oregon and remember watching that game. It was on a Halloween night. Rider was knocking everything down. Man..dude was my favorite player when he was on the Blazers. Yea he was trouble but the dude was a power shooting gaurd taking down the Suns in round1 of the playoffs one of those years.

I dont remember him getting ejected but thats pretty funny…

JR had talent, the guy could definately ball. Its a shame the talent did goto waste as his motivation dropped once he went to atlanta along with jim jackson for steve smith. Then in LA he wasnt even on the playoff roster when it was playoff time. I wonder if he ever got a ring though

By: UH Insiders

09.10.2009 @ 10:49 PM

J.R. is tearing it up in our Ultimate Hoops league right now in Tempe, AZ. Let’s hope J.R. makes it back to the NBA.

By: dang

10.26.2009 @ 4:38 PM

Rider is one of a kind and one of the best for his age. Your crazy if you don’t think he can ball. I don’t see you fools playin’ in the NBA or ABA.